Electric lock for interlocking machine levers



' Dec. 24, 1929. 1. w. VENSEL ET AL.

ELECTRIC LOCK FOR INTERLOCKING HACHINE LEYERS 2 Shpets-Slaget 1 Filed Sept; 29. 1928 IIIIILIILII [Pr RN ME III] Q-Z-W, 4 (92w, ATTORNEY I. w. VENSEL r AL ELECTRIC LOCK FOR INTERLOCKING IACHINE LEVERS Dec. 24, 192 9.

Filed Sept. 29, 1928 2 Sheets-Span 2 l l L INVENTOR 5 I W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNETD SA'E'ES PATENT OFFICE ISAIAH W. VENSEL, OF \VILKINSBURG, AND WILLIAM E. SMITH, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRIC LOOK FOR INTERLOCKING MACHINE LEVER-S Application filed September 29. 1928.

Our invention relates to electric locks for the levers of mechanical interlocking machines, and has for an object the provision of an electric lock embodying various novel and improved features.

We will describe one form of lock embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a view showing in side elevation one form of electric lock embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the circuit controller operating portion of the lock shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view showing in side elevation a lock bar forming part of the electric lock illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. l is a view showing a lock plate which forms part of the lock bar shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a view showing a depressor plate which forms part of the lock bar shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view showing a locking yoke which forms part of the electric lock shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a view showing an operating crank J which forms part of the lock shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a view showing an adjusting sleeve which is associated with the operating crank J. Fig. 9 is a view showing an adjustable crank arm which is likewise associated with the operating crank J.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference character F designates a base plate which supports the entire mechanism. The base plate F is 7 provided with guides to receive a longitudinally movable lock bar D. This lock bar D (see Fig. 3) comprises a main sliding bar 1, the upper surface of which is provided with a recess or slot 1 to receive a lock plate 2 and a depressor plate 3. The lock plate 2 is located in the bottom of the recess 1" and the upper surface of this plate is provided with two locking dogs 2 spaced by a recess 2 The depressor plate 3 is also located in the recess 1 but is above the lock plate 2 and is provided on its under surface with inclined ends 3 and an intermediate depressing wedge 23*.

The frame F is provided with a vertically projecting arm 12 to which is bolted a bracket B, and this bracket supports an electromagnet Serial No. 309,288.

E having a back strap S which projects vertically downwardly and to the lower end of which an armature A is pivotally attached. This armature is controlled in the usual manner by the electromagnet E. Pivotally connected with the free end of the armature A is a U-shaped locking yoke C which is shown in detail in Fig. 6. The cross-bar of this yoke lies within the irregular slot formed between the lock plate 2and the depressor plate 3. It will be observed that when the lock bar D is at either end of its stroke, the locking yoke C is forced downwardly by one of the inclined ends 3 of the recess in the depressor plate 3, so that the lock bar D cannot be moved away from such end of its stroke unless magnet E is energized to lift the locking yoke C out of the path of the adjacent dog 2. Furthermore, as the lock bar D passes the intermediate point in its stroke, the locking yoke will again be forced downwardly by the depressor wedge 3 so that the stroke of the lock bar cannot be completed unless magnet E is energized to lift the yoke out of the path of the second dog 2".

The left-hand end of the lock bar D is provided with a hole 1"* to receive a pin 5 which co-operates with the bifurcated end 6 of an operating crank J. This crank is pivotally mounted at 13 in an arm 13 which projects upwardly from the frame F, and the upper end of the crank is bored and threaded to receive an adjusting sleeve I. This adjusting sleeve is provided with a longitudinal bore to receive the shank of a crank arm Z, the head 9" of which is provided with a hole 9 for pivotal connection with the rocker of the interlocking machine lever. It will be seen that by screwing the adjusting sleeve I into the crank J to the desired position, and then fixing the crank arm Z in place in the adjusting sleeve by means of lock nuts 14, the effective length of the crank arm Z with respect to the center of oscillation of the crank J may be made any desired amount. The rockers of an interlocking machine do not all have exactly the same amount of throw, whereas the length of the stroke of lock bar D is fixed. and the purpose of the structure just described is to permit of adjusting the lock to the throw of the particular rocker to which the lock is applied.

oscillate, and an operating arm fixed to said shaft and provided with a follower coacting As shown in Fig. 1, the electric lock is prowith the groove in said driving member.

vided with a circuit controller K comprising In testimony whereof we affix our signaa vertical shaft 15 mounted to oscillate in tures.

brackets 17 and 18 formed on the frame F. The shaft 15 is actuated by an operating arm L which projects over the lock bar D and terminates in a downwardly extending roller 11. This roller 11 co-operates with a groove 10 in a driving member 10 which is attached to one side of the lock bar D, the lock bar being provided with a hole 1 for this purpose. It will be observed that the groove 10" in the driving member is transversely disposed with respect tothe direction of movement of lock bar D, so that movement of this driving member by the lock bar D will'result in oscillation of the circuit controller shaft 15 through the medium of the operating arm L. The circuit controller shaft 15 operates a plurality of contacts 16 which form no part of our present inventionv and which are, consequently, not described in detail herein.

One feature of the apparatus for operating the circuit controller K is that when the lock bar D is near one end or the other of its stroke, the movement of the circuit controller shaft 15 is relatively fast, whereas when the lock bar is near the midde of its stroke, the movement of the circuit controller shaft is relatively slow. This feature'is of value in preventing the overlap of contacts which may have a close angular relation to each other in the extreme positions of the controller shaft.

Although we have herein shown and described only one form of electric lock embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. An electric lock for a lever of a mechanical interlocking machine, comprising a longitudinally movable lock bar, a pin fixed in said bar, a pivotally mounted operating crank having a slot coacting with said pin to reciprocate said bar, an adjusting sleeve threaded into a hole in said crank, and a'crank arm passing through a longitudinal hole in said adjusting sleeve and bolted in place therein and adapted for operative connection with the rocker of the machine lever.

2. An electric lock and circuit controller for a lever of a mechanical interlocking machine, comprising a longitudinally movable lock bar adapted for operative connection with the rocker of the machine lever, a driving member attached to said lock bar and having a groove extending transversely with respect to the direction'of movement of said bar, a circuit controller shaft mounted. to

ISAIAH WV. VENSEL. WILLIAM E. SMITH. 

